Who is going to view the Total Eclipse?

[hussieskunk]

Stayed in the front yard of Richmond, VA and used my solar projector to share the experience with the neighbors. We had about 85% coverage.

The projector consists of a funnel, a shower curtain and rubber bands - and of course my cheapest telescope. Look close enough and you can see sun spots on the surface of the sun.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

If you only got 99.9% then you were not in the Path of Totality.
There is a big difference between 99,9% and a Total Eclipse,
For the 2.5 minutes we were able to view the Total Eclipse without our eclipse glasses was nothing short of incredible seeing the sun's corona glowing around the moon. We saw stars, we saw Venus, the temp dropped at least 10 degrees.It wasn't dark light nighttime but it was close. It was totally surreal.
You should have spent thew money on gas an gone the extra 10 miles.

Agree,
I have 2 pictures taken from front of camper. Before eclipse at at totality.
It was very cool.

[Bookemdanno]

The good news is that the solar viewing glasses are 90% off at Walmart for those of you that want to purchase now for the next viewing.

[RPreeb]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Seriously, what was the big deal?? Cool pics! OK I get that, but I've seen a whole lot more interesting natural pics during a good thunder storm. So it doesn't happen very often, but I think watching a meteor storm or an occasional comet is a whole lot "cooler". I just am surprised that so many took vacation time to travel somewhere just to watch this short natural world abnormality. Had we not been right in the path, I think we would have just caught a 30 minute summary on the weather channel.

I see it as a once in a lifetime opportunity to be in the path of a total eclipse. We didn't camp, didn't have to. We drove 125 miles yesterday morning to a friend's ranch in west central Nebraska, dead center in the path. We watched the total eclipse, then had a post eclipse picnic lunch of cold fried chicken, salad and ice cold watermelon as the light came back.

I really don't understand such a blasé attitude for what I feel is one of the more spectacular astronomical events I've witnessed, and I've seen all of the others that you mention.

My shot of the total - photographs can't really capture the weirdness of the entire event:

[hussieskunk]

Originally Posted by RPreeb

My shot of the total - photographs can't really capture the weirdness of the entire event:

WOW! What's your set up? I don't own any AP gear, other than a planetary webcam. Were you able t capture any beads, diamond rings, etc?

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by RPreeb

I see it as a once in a lifetime opportunity to be in the path of a total eclipse. We didn't camp, didn't have to. We drove 125 miles yesterday morning to a friend's ranch in west central Nebraska, dead center in the path. We watched the total eclipse, then had a post eclipse picnic lunch of cold fried chicken, salad and ice cold watermelon as the light came back.

I really don't understand such a blasé attitude for what I feel is one of the more spectacular astronomical events I've witnessed, and I've seen all of the others that you mention.

My shot of the total - photographs can't really capture the weirdness of the entire event:

Just for the record, my attitude is based on how over hyped this was by the media and several communities along the path. I would compare this to Mother-in-laws day that the greeting card industry tried to invent several years ago. This event was a once in a lifetime event for those of us over 50 since there is another eclipse coming in about 30 years, but that is splitting hairs. I said "cool" pics, but towns filling hotel rooms and cramming folks in CG's ?? All I can say is congrats to the folks who hyped this up, it worked for many.

Congrats on the pics. You'll be showing them for years. My blaise attitude is just as I have explained, another natural phenom, that at the end of the day is meaningless. I've spent more time posting about this than any of us did actualy watching it, Done on this topic.

[norty1]

I did enjoy the time with my friends.

BTW, I have a good pair of Eclipse glasses at a deep discount!

[Woodworker]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

I85 between Greenville SC and Atlanta were bumper to bumper this evening - in BOTH directions.

I left work at 2 p.m. so I missed the driving festivities

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[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by norty1

I did enjoy the time with my friends.

BTW, I have a good pair of Eclipse glasses at a deep discount!

Keep your friends and hang on to the glasses! Only 7 years till the next one in the US.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Keep your friends and hang on to the glasses! Only 7 years till the next one in the US.

Not here!

[RPreeb]

Originally Posted by hussieskunk

WOW! What's your set up? I don't own any AP gear, other than a planetary webcam. Were you able t capture any beads, diamond rings, etc?

I only shot the totality. I didn't see any real justification in spending $50-$100 for the filter to shoot the sun directly. I put my circular polarizer on my EF 70-200 f4 L IS zoom and shot with that, then cropped in Lightroom. No adjustments were needed. I used my Vanguard Alta tripod and cable release to eliminate any camera motion. A few shots to check the exposure, then I just clicked away. Awesome experience - worth every minute.

[koko]

To anyone who thought it was no big deal, so be it. We were at 9,000 feet outside of Pinedale, WY at totality, and it was worth the 1 minute and 3 seconds! The temperature dropped from 79 to 50 in less than 10 minutes, the shadows kept lengthening, the ground turned an eerie gray color, then boom...total darkness at 11:36 a.m. It was awesome, and 11 members of our family (from 7 yrs old to 70) were all alone on top of a mountain in total amazement. We'll remember it forever.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by koko

We'll remember it forever.

and so will we.

[wanderlust]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dYCovevSwM

[GScott]

We travel to the Idaho side of Monida Pass to view the eclipse. Maybe should've gone further as it never really got dark in the totality lasted maybe 11 seconds Still was fun

[koko]

Wanderlust, the reaction you all had to the eclipse was just about the same as ours...absolute awe and excitement. One of our sons took a time lapse with his spotting scope. We took a very short audio on one of our phones right at totality, and we sounded just like your group! I took one awesome photo of the sun completely covered with stars all around us.

[mothernaturesson]

We spent Friday thru Tuesday at River Bend Campground backed up to the Hiwassee River in Hiwassee Ga. I would have, and have in the past, used some of the ample personal days I get just to go to the mountains, camp and enjoy a little cooler weather during the dog days of August. Having the opportunity to view a full solar eclipse was the reason we chose to go at that time and certainly icing on the cake for the DW and I. I guess you could say we were able to have our cake and eat it to! One thing of interest it got so dark all of our solar decorations came on at 2:30 in the afternoon under a cloudless sky! Hey Wanderlust, started DSotM about 40 minutes in and just about nailed it for Eclipse playing during totality!

[Woodworker]

Originally Posted by mothernaturesson

We spent Friday thru Tuesday at River Bend Campground backed up to the Hiwassee River in Hiwassee Ga. I would have, and have in the past, used some of the ample personal days I get just to go to the mountains, camp and enjoy a little cooler weather during the dog days of August. Having the opportunity to view a full solar eclipse was the reason we chose to go at that time and certainly icing on the cake for the DW and I. I guess you could say we were able to have our cake and eat it to! One thing of interest it got so dark all of our solar decorations came on at 2:30 in the afternoon under a cloudless sky! Hey Wanderlust, started DSotM about 40 minutes in and just about nailed it for Eclipse playing during totality!

Do you know if the fishing is any good at River Bend?

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[mothernaturesson]

Probably better during the week though we did see a young girl catch about a 14" bass under the bridge. Lots of brim for the kids. If you ever go shoot me a pm and I'll give you advise on sites. Kayaking and tubing were real popular also. There's Bald Mountain Campground in Hiawassee also and they have a private pond full of cat's and bass. Pic is taken behind our camper along the river.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by mothernaturesson

Hey Wanderlust, started DSotM about 40 minutes in and just about nailed it for Eclipse playing during totality!

Awesome!